Alexander Huppert, left, stands with Gainesville District Supervisor Jim Shippert while receiving the 2009 Gainesville Hero of the Year award.
The father of a student arrested for assaulting several police officers after stabbing himself on the Drillfield Wednesday described him as a good kid who needs some help.
Alexander Huppert, a freshman university studies major, was charged with three felony counts of assaulting an officer, as well as charges of resisting arrest and destruction of property.
Huppert drew police attention early Wednesday afternoon after he demanded students at a table on the Drillfield stab him with a pen in the hand during a religious discussion event. Taken into custody after a struggle with an officer and onlookers, Huppert later attacked several other officers and broke a window out of a police car.
Michael Huppert, Alexander Huppert’s father, said he had made the decision to bring his son home Wednesday morning with the help of a counselor from Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center.
“We tried to call him, but all of the sudden his phone was off,” Michael Huppert said.
After calling around to several campus offices without any luck, he received a call from Tech Police.
“I was initially relieved because they knew where he was, but then we found out he was in jail,” Michael Huppert said.
Michael Huppert said his son had never been in trouble.
“He’s always been very shy and insecure,” he said.
He said that his son was doing well in classes, but admitted struggling with anxiety. He said Alexander Huppert had started to seek counseling at Cook Counseling Center.
“He was excited about it, that he was really addressing the problem,” Michael Huppert said.
He said Alexander Huppert had recently transitioned to group counseling sessions after struggling to make progress with one-on-one sessions, and added his son went to a group counseling session on the day of his arrest.
Michael Huppert said his son told him he was taking the antidepressant Paxil.
“We had understood it was a prescription, but that may not have been true,” Michael Huppert said, speculating that his son may have bought it online instead of receiving it from a licensed prescriber.
“That’s always the kind of thing you worry about when you send your kid to college,” he said. “You’re not there to monitor them most of the time.”
Wednesday’s incident took place at a booth run for a local version of “Ask an Atheist Day,” sponsored by Freethinkers at Tech. Michael Huppert said religion wasn’t something his son regularly talked about.
“I would describe him as Christian, and as a believer, but definietely not a fanatic,” Michael Huppert said.
The outburst is a stark contrast to previous commendations Alexander Huppert received.
Alexander Huppert won several awards in 2009 after saving the life of young boy, his neighbor, who suffered respiratory arrest.
According to a report from insidenova.com, Alexander Huppert, then 17 years old, performed life saving CPR until fire and rescue personnel could respond. For his actions, he was presented a Red Cross “Extraordinary Action” award by the local office.
Michael Huppert said his son was hesitant to pick up the award.
“He would have preferred that nobody known about it,” Michael Huppert said.
Deborah Campbell, who was the office’s public support director at the time, said Alexander Huppert was the only recipient of the award in her six years at the office.
“For this chapter, it is pretty rare,” Campbell said.
Alexander Huppert was also named the 2009 Gainesville Hero of the Year.
John Stirrup, the Gainesville supervisor who presented the award, said Alexander Huppert acted in a “very calm, stabilizing manner.”
“He took a situation that was very tenuous at best, and brought it to a very happy ending,” Stirrup said.
Stirrup said he had known the Huppert family for more than eight years. He described his interactions with Alexander Huppert as “always very positive.”
A version of this article appeared in the Apr 15 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 41 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
As a member of the Freethinkers at Virginia Tech I would like to say that we are here for him and are keeping Alex in our thoughts. It is unfortunate that this event has occurred and in such a publicized fashion that it has spread. The discussion should not be about religious issues, but about mental health, a problem that not only faces people on the Virginia Tech campus but a problem that faces millions around the world.
I know that I speak for the club when I say that we are keeping not only Mr. Huppert in our thoughts, but his family and friends as well. Just know that we stand with you in this time of trouble.
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Richard McBeef
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It sounds like Alex was taking the wrong drugs for the wrong condition. With proper diagnosis, and stable meds, Alex will be able to lead a normal life. I hope the judge drops all charges when he sees Alex making good progress.
Alex is lucky to have a family that is willing to help him deal with this crisis without denying that there is a mental health problem that needs addressing. Hang in there, Mr and Mrs Huppert! We look forward to having Alex back when he is ready.
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This kid needs a stay in a good hospital, not jailtime.
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I agree, this kid needs a proper diagnosis and help. He may need to be punished eventually but proper help is what he really needs.
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As the current president of Freethinkers at Virginia Tech, I concur with Daniel that we all hold the well-being of Alex Huppert tantamount. We will work to do anything possible to help the Huppert family and wish them the best. It is important to remember that his actions are not typical of religious people and that he needs mental help in any way possible.
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Another example of the powerlessness of sociology and its derivatives. But I bet (post)docs will be applying for gov't grants as soon as possible to study this. Nothing like post-crisis drivel to pay the bills, while nothing material is achieved. What a farce the academic aftermath will be.
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Really pulling for this kid to come out of this alright
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This kid really needs some good help and hopefully he will become mentally stable.
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Mental illness in this country has always been something most people don't understand.
There is stigma, shame and ignorance. While services are available it is often quite difficult to address it, particularly as the person who's suffering. We ALL need to educate ourselves and call out those who make fun of or are offensive about it and keep our awareness focused on helping those who may need it. Often very good people do bad things because their situation takes over. Get this kid the right help and be kind to each other.
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Kudos for the Collegiate times. This story might not generate as much debate as the original story, but it provide some context.
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I agree, it is great that the collegiate times included some sort of explanation as to why this occurred.
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"He’s always been very shy and insecure"
We've seen this before.
Anybody who is quiet and insecure needs some serious serious attention.
Think about this, what if this kid had access to a gun?
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He has friends, whereas Seung-Hui Cho apparently did not (on Facebook anyways).
The father of Huppert is involved, concerned and speaking out about the situation, whereas Cho's parents are still cowering behind papered over townhouse windows and not making any statements four years later.
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There are a lot of shy, insecure people. Very few of them snap like this.
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What if he had a gun? Are you serious bro? He's not crazy. And he's not a risk. The kid was off that day. I personally grew up with him and know that that worrying about him with a gun is stupid. That is an ignorant statement if you read any of the above context. Can you not be so critical negatively to everything?
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Though Daniel and Hector have already said this, I would like to reaffirm that Free@VT has nothing but the best wishes for Alex and the rest of the Huppert family following this unfortunate incident. If there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to let us know.
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I have a child who has suffered from mental illness, and it sounds like the father is trying to get the help his child needs. Paxil can sometimes cause a negative effect and aggression in some people (while working great for many others) and hopefully he'll get the help he needs. Good luck to him and his family.
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We are here for Alex and his family.
We are all friends of Alex, We are Virginia Tech!
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My thoughts are with Alex and his family, and I wish them well. Also the parents of the students that assisted Alex in his time of need should be very proud of the compassion and quick thinking of their young adult children.
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Excellent and fair article that puts this event into perspective. I can't wait until your writers/editors start working for "real" newspapers. May they keep the standards and integrity they learned at the Collegiate Times when they do.
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Personally I think Virginia Tech has one of the WORST mental illness schools. Many here still believe the stigma of mental illness and many more are uneducated on what a mental illness really is. I myself have a mental illness and will admit that I keep it hidden because of the stigma that it comes along with here at Virginia Tech.
The Hokies should begin to educate themselves on this mental condition both the students AND the instructors.
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Well statistically 1 out of every 4 people have a "documented" mental disability/illness/disorder/defect of some kind so mental illness shouldn't really be as much of a stigma as having common allergies.
PS: I also have a mental disability. A lot of people have one but don't admit to it.
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Also the anti-depressants might have messed with his head, a lot of times they can do that and it's even better to not take them if you are showing mental side effects a lot. I've never heard of them to this extreme though.
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The comments on this story are much better. This kid grew up in my neighborhood. My parents still live out there and he comes from a nice family. I am sad that some my fellow Hokies would write some of the things they did on the other story. I hope he gets the help he needs and can live a happy life. Jail time will not help him or anyone else.
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Another "different" person at Tech, at least he wasn't packing a gun.yeauty defective
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